Between soccer, band and maintaining a 4.0 grade point average, Bastrop High senior Aneatria Watson has become quite adept at time management.

“The hardest part for Aneatria was during football season when she was having to juggle strength and conditioning and band practice,” Bastrop Lady Rams coach Jessica Pylant said, “but she worked it out.

She would either come to us during first hour and band during second hour or vice versa. When we were having our two-a-day workouts over the summer, she was always at practice except when she was at band camp.”

Like most of her teammates, Watson had zero soccer experience when she tried out for the school's first side last year. Though still learning the sport, Watson's work ethic has helped offset the inexperience.

“Aneatria's very dedicated,” Pylant said. “She's going to hustle and give 110 percent in practice as well as in the game. She's going to push herself.”

Watson has moved to fullback (defense) after beginning the season on offense as a forward.

“Aneatria is going to do whatever it takes to get the job done, whether it's academically or in soccer,” Pylant said.

FIRST HALF

BDE: What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of soccer?

Aneatrea Watson: My favorite part is learning how to do tricks with the ball.

My least favorite part is all the conditioning.

BDE: Had you ever played prior to last year?

Watson: I had never even kicked a soccer ball until last year.

I watched soccer on TV and thought it was kind of boring, but once I started playing and understanding what what was going on, it was a lot different. I was watching and cheering for the U.S. team last year during the Summer Olympics.

BDE: Why did you decide to try out for the team?

Watson: It was a new sport and it sounded like it would be something fun to do. I decided to try it and found out that I like playing.

BDE: What is the biggest improvement you have made since last year?

Watson: I've gotten better at controlling the ball.

BDE: What have been some of the biggest challenges in starting a program from the ground up?

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Watson: Getting people to participate has been a challenge. Since most of us haven't played before, we had to learn the rules of soccer and the basic techniques the game requires.

BDE: What has the soccer program added to the school?

Watson: It's something that has never been done here before, so it brought in the excitement of starting something new. Soccer gives people who don't participate in football, basketball, baseball or track another opportunity to participate in sports.

SECOND HALF

BDE: What steps need to be take in order to build a competitive soccer program at Bastrop High?

Watson: We need to get more people to participate. We have to keep working hard each year and get people to start when they're freshmen.

What we really need to do is get a (youth) program in Bastrop so people can start playing when they're

little and grow up playing soccer.

BDE: What are your thoughts on the future of the program?

Watson: If more people will start participating, they would find that it's a fun sport to play and soccer could be as big here 10 years from now as it is at Neville.

BDE: How do you approach a match against a more experienced team like Neville?

Watson: You just have to go into the game with the mindset that you can win or at least compete with them. You have to play the best you can play. If that happens to be better than they play, then that's a plus.

BDE: What are you going to miss the most about playing high school soccer?

Watson: I'm going to miss my teammates and learning to play soccer.

BDE: What do you like best about attending Bastrop High?

Watson: My favorite part about going to school at Bastrop High is seeing my friends and learning something new every day.

BDE: What part of the Mu Sigma trip are you most looking forward to?

Watson: I'm looking forward to seeing New York City for the first time.

BDE: What are your future plans?

Watson: I plan on going to college at Louisiana Tech or Northwestern State and majoring in computer science with a minor in business. I'm going to try to open my own business one day.